The Master Plan
by SilverTurtle
Summary: Just a short piece on Jo, Zoe, and a self defense lesson.


A/N: I was feeling inspired. And I had some free time. So this came out. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I have a broken slinky and a fish named Ferdinand. That's about it though.

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I didn't ask for this complication in my already too active life. Living in this town full of geniuses, being one myself, it isn't easy. Everyone expects something of me. Carter seems to think that just because I can take apart and put back together a large, powerful weapon in under forty-five seconds (much faster than him, by the way) that I _must_ be capable of entertaining a teenage girl for hours on end while he gallivants about the town.

Well, turns out, I'm not capable of entertaining a teenage girl. His daughter is a handful and a half. She is nearly impossible to keep busy for more than twenty minutes. How can she have such a short attention span? She's seventeen for goodness' sake! For that matter, why did I have to watch her at all, she's _seventeen_ for goodness' sake! She is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

But I digress. Point is, I was watching her and trying to keep her busy and failing. I tried to teach her how to dissemble and reassemble various weapons but she just wasn't into it. I can't imagine why, that's one of my favorite pass-times. I tried to teach her a little about the law, but no go. She tried to get me to buy those fashion magazines she's so fond of, so wasn't happening. So we were stuck at an impasse.

At least we were until she had a brilliant idea. Self-defense. She thought I should teach her some self-defense. Being the person I am, I thought that was a great idea, every girl should know how to keep herself safe. So, I did.

I was showing her some holds and how to break them, the two of us were switching off as attacker and defender. I was coming at her from behind, I had just shown her how to throw an attacker and really should have seen this coming but I didn't, and when I grabbed her she tossed me onto my back. That was exactly as planned, what wasn't planned was her straddling me.

I was surprised enough that I didn't resist when she pinned my wrists above my head, leaned down and kissed me. I was so surprised, in fact that I forgot to kiss back. I just blinked up at her stupidly while she waited for me to do or say something.

I didn't know what to do; I did know what I wanted to do. I wanted to reverse our positions and take what she offered, or just let her do with me what she would. But I couldn't make myself move. And after staring at her for what felt like hours, but was probably more like two minutes, she gave me a pained look and got off. She locked herself in the bathroom.

It wasn't until I heard the door slam that I was able to shake myself out of my stupor. Regaining my feet I made my way to her hideaway and knocked on the door.

"Go away." I heard her sniffling on the other side and it made me feel awful. I made her cry. Somehow I had made an ass out of myself and hurt her enough to make her cry. I at least had to try to fix it, though I wasn't sure I could.

"Zoë, please open the door." I could have just broken it down, but I didn't want to scare her.

"No." More sniffles, hearing them my heart twisted painfully in my chest. What had I done? How had I managed to hurt her so? How could I fix it if she wouldn't open the stupid door?

"Please, Zoë? We need to talk about this." I hadn't really expected that tactic to work, but it was worth a shot.

"We can talk through the door." She was just being belligerent at that point.

"I'd rather we speak face to face." It was true. I really did want to see her when I spoke to her. I needed to look into her eyes, I needed her to look into mine; she'd see the truth then.

"Why Jo, so you can humiliate me some more? No thanks." Humiliate her? Just because I didn't react instantly when she pounced on me without warning and with amorous intentions? I didn't know what she was doing on her side of the door but I was still standing. I had rested my forehead against the smooth planks and brought my hand up to rest against the door at shoulder height.

With a sigh I tried to explain, "Zoe, you caught me by surprise-" That's as far as I got before she interrupted.

"For two minutes? I don't think so Jo." I could hear the bitterness in her voice, but I could also hear the sad quaver.

"It's true. I was stunned. It's not everyday that a beautiful girl beats me at my own game and tries to seduce me. I was reeling." I had closed my eyes as I spoke, but I opened them when I felt the door move beneath my hand and head.

And there she stood, red eyed, still sniffling, but smiling weakly. "You really think I'm beautiful?" It was all I could do not to break into hysterical laughter.

"You have selective hearing, sweetheart. Yes, I think you're beautiful. More than." I caught and held her gaze for a moment before I bent and finally kissed her back.

She responded instantly, drawing me closer and deepening the kiss. When we broke for air she smiled hugely and said "All according to my plan."

"Plan?" What sort of plan was she talking about?

"Yes. Plan: Seduce Jo. Objective: completed. Now kiss me again." Who knew she was a genius? Suddenly the self-defense lessons made sense. They were the easiest way for her to get physical contact, brilliant.

We found an activity that held her attention for more than twenty minutes. And let me tell you, it's a hell of a lot better than assembling weaponry.

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A/N: Let me know what you think.


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